Page:Whole proceedings of Jockey and Maggy (4).pdf/19

 JOCKEY and MAGGY. 19

get the benefit of any church privileges like any other honeſt man.

Mith. Indeed Meſs John, my ſon will never ſet his hips upon't; if he maun come before you, I'ſe gar him ſtand a bit a back frea't and hear what ye hae to ſay about fornication, twa harmleſs free bodies paſſing their trails to ſee what they can do, ye that's whigs may mak enough o't, but I think na muckle about it.

Meſs John. Woman ye may go home and ſee what ye have to do; ye have a very bad tongue; it's no you we have to take account of.

Mith. Ay my ſon, that's miniſters and modeſt fouk may ſay fae, but if my ſon had tane as good tent o' his tail, as I can do o' my tongue, there had na been fae muckle about it, a wheen ſilly lowns kens na what they were made for, or how to guide a thing whan they get it.

Meſs John. Put her out, ſhe's going to ſpeak haudy.

Mith. O ay, ſir, I'ſe gang out, but I'll hae my bairn out wi' me.

Meſs John. We muſt firft aſk ſome few queſtions at him, there is no harm can come on him here.

Mith. For as good company as you think yourſelves, I wad rather hae him in anither place.

John's kept in and his mother's put out.

Meſs John. Well John, you muſt tell us whether this child was gotten before ye was married, or ſince: for I ſuppoſe by the time of the birth it is much about the ſame time.

Jock. Hout ay, ſtir, it was gotten lang or I was married, I need na forget the getting, it was na fae eaſy to me.

Meſs John. How long is it ſince ye was firſt acquaint?

Jock. Juſt when ſhe came to be my mither's laſs, I never ſaw her but ance before, and gin I had never ſeen her, I had never kend her after fic a faſhous faſhon.

Meſs John. How long was ſhe ſerving with your mother?